The tricky part about the “retail or pass” debate is for a lot of these hyped shoes, we all know their value just goes up and up. For majority of us, we might only wear em a handful of times over a 2-3 year period and can flip em for the same price we paid resale for, if not more. OR maybe they never even make it to the concrete. Either scenario it kinda leads us to just paying that resale ticket- especially if it’s a nostalgic kick or just something u want hella bad. U can justify it, as long as it’s a high demand shoe.
The other scenario is if you beat em to the ground then hell, you enjoyed them MFs and got your moneys worth for sure.
Like I mentioned in my earlier post, it’s up to the person to determine if paying $500 - or 120% more than the retail cost - for a non durable good makes sense.
But something you mentioned I want to address. Keep in mind 206 that paying $500 for the shoe and then selling them for $500 three years later doesn’t even out. You’re not “making your money back.” There is opportunity cost (the value of what you could have otherwise done with that money during that same time window) to think about. Also, there is inflation to consider ($500 today won’t have the same spending authority in 2025).
On the opportunity cost side, think of it this way … Apple stock was $37 a share (pre-split adjusted) three years ago. It’s at $179 today. If you had put $500 into Apple in December, 2018, you’d have 13 shares that would now be worth $2350.
Your $500 would have made you an extra $1850 (a return of almost 400%).
The opportunity cost then of buying the shoes (that you later sold for what you paid) is $1850.00 ($2350 - $500). What you could have made ($2350) subtracted by what you did make ($500).
This isn’t a financial board. And I’m not trying to discourage anyone from buying shoes (I’m a shoe collector and enthusiast). I just want people to think about their tomorrow.
Paying $500 for shoes that cost $225, especially on credit, is negatively impacting your tomorrow. I’m from the inner city and I see it. Young people and people of color just don’t invest enough. Companies prey on that lack of financial sophistication to keep people mentally poor. Nike and social media has convinced folks that worth and value is linked to consumable goods and materiality and it’s not.
Nike won’t lend a hand to support when people are struggling to pay their bills in 10 years.
So please just think. Hopefully everyone gets the shoes at retail.
Be safe and blessed out there everyone.
